


new kids on the block

by ladybuginettes (stylostique)



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Gen, Team Miraculous Zine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-08
Updated: 2019-09-08
Packaged: 2020-10-12 08:17:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20561150
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stylostique/pseuds/ladybuginettes
Summary: The cat-and-bug team decide to bring their other members on full-time





	new kids on the block

**Author's Note:**

> My piece for the [Team Miraculous Zine!](https://team-miraculous-zine.tumblr.com) Get your digital bundles [here.](https://team-miraculous-zine.ecwid.com/)

As a swarm of magical ladybugs swept over the city, wiping away the carnage in their wake, Paris fell silent, a far cry from the previous cacophony of wailing sirens and voices. The city had faced its most difficult akuma yet, and as its team of heroes caught their breath, recharging on the roof of the Grand Paris, their leaders shared a look.

“Ladybug, a word?”

Ladybug winced at her partner’s flat tone, utterly devoid of the nicknames, singsong tone, and flirtatious amusement that she’d grown used to. She was exhausted

“Give me a minute, _ chaton,” _ she said, taking a deep breath. She had no excuse to avoid this conversation, she knew exactly what he was going to say, she’d heard it multiple times from the others, and she even wholeheartedly supported him — it was just her worry about safety and what Master Fu would say. And, if she were being utterly, completely honest, if this conversation played out the way they knew it had to, that would mean that the bug and cat team would never be just the bug and cat team again.

She knew Chat was worried about that too. She knew Chat like the back of her hand and she knew how, despite his friendly nature and easygoing attitude with the rest of the team, if there was one person who cared more about the sanctity of their partnership than her, it was Chat Noir. 

“Queenie?” Ladybug asked, “Can me and Chat talk privately somewhere?”

Rena waggled her eyebrows. “Ooooh, _ private conversations, _ huh, LB? What do you need to say to him which means you need to get a _ room?” _

_ And just for that I’m ready to nip the plan in the bud. _

Ladybug didn’t voice this thought, rather charitably in her opinion, just shaking her head at shooting a glare at Rena. Chloe interrupted their exchange, tossing a key at Chat.

“That opens the door to my study, it’s opposite my bedroom across the living room area of the suite, but make it quick and _ don’t _snoop, nosy cat!” 

Chat winked at her and replied, “No paw-mises!”

Ladybug dropped down onto Chloe’s balcony, watching Chat Noir fumble for a minute with the keys. She followed him into the room, choosing Chloe’s most comfortable-looking armchair to sit on while Chat flopped on the ottoman at the foot of Chloe’s bed, looking utterly catlike and like he was meant to be there, lounging in the lap of luxury.

“It’s time to bring them on full time, my Lady,” Chat said, with an air of uncharacteristic seriousness.

Though the Akuma damage had been rectified by the Miraculous Cure, the Akuma had blown up nearly half of Paris before capture, and bringing people back to life didn’t wipe the memories of watching them die, as Ladybug knew all too well.

“We took so much time to decide whether to bring out the new-bees or not, we needed three whole lucky charms for it! Isn’t Tikki exhausted? How is she even holding up the transformation? And I know you’re gonna say no, talk about Master Fu, but he’s not the one out here risking his neck, its _ us _ and we should —”

“Chat, I think it’s time too.”

“… what?”

Ladybug managed to laugh with energy she didn’t know she still had. “Kitty. _ Yes. _It’s way too exhausting for us to fight alone anymore, the akumas are getting stronger and more dangerous, and if I believed in omens, this fight would have been the clearest omen of all. It’s time to bring them on full time.”

“… Oh.” Chat deflated somewhat, his indignance leaving him, making him shrink into the tired boy he was underneath all that bravado and humor.

“I think it’s time for you to know who Rena and Carapace are too. We’re gonna be mentoring all three of them and teaching them how to do the hero thing and I want them to know that you’re just as important as I am as a leader.” Chat’s head snapped up at this, his gaze locking with hers, hope flickering in his eyes. 

“The secrecy wasn’t my idea, _ minou. _ None of this was my idea. I’d always wanted you to be in on these things but Master Fu always dismissed my concerns with proverbs my grandma would use.” Ladybug approached Chat with her arms held out, an invitation that he gladly accepted, throwing himself into her arms and nearly crushing her with his embrace.

“I wish it didn’t have to be like this, I wish _ we _ didn’t have to be like this, but my Lady, if there was someone who had to keep secrets from me, I’d prefer it to be you over anyone else in my life.”

* * *

Ladybug had told him to meet her at their usual spot at eight, two hours earlier than their usual meeting time. Chat was surprised and mildly hopeful, but he’d grown adept at quashing anticipation, used to being let down by everyone. Well, to be fair, Ladybug didn’t usually _ mean _to let him down… it just happened. His train of thought was interrupted by the sound of boots connecting with roof tile.

_“Chaton! _ You’re here!”

Chat couldn’t help the smile that crept onto his face. No matter how much they disagreed or fought or how anxious he could get, Ladybug’s presence always surrounded him like a blanket, making him feel safe and warm in a way not even his state of the art security system and thermostat could.

“Okay, kitty, Tikki’s mad at me but at this point I’m beyond caring. She and Master Fu can talk about noodles all they want but overcooked noodles are just as bad as undercooked ones — worse, in my opinion, because you can’t uncook them!” Ladybug shook her head at the sight of Chat’s bewildered expression, realizing she probably sounded insane.

_ “Buginette? _ Are you… feeling quite alright?” Chat made a show of pressing a palm against her forehead as if to check her temperature, earning a quick swat and a nose scrunch he loved so much from Ladybug.

“Oh, my _ Lady! _ You wound me!” he cried, clutching his hand to his chest. She rolled her eyes at him but he didn’t miss the twitch of her lips poorly concealing a smile, which was all he’d wanted. She seemed a lot more relaxed now that he’d been up to his usual tricks.

“So, I’m assuming you didn’t just call me over for happy hour,” Chat said, oh-so-casually resting an elbow on Ladybug’s shoulder. To his surprise, she leaned in instead of shrugging it off.

_ “Well,” _ she said, “We do have some noodles to boil. Chop chop!”

She took off in the direction of the eighth arrondissement, clearly expecting him to follow, but he stood there for a moment to process what she’d said. She stopped a few rooftops ahead, noticing the absence of her cat, and turned around to raise and eyebrow to beckon him. 

They entered Master Fu’s apartment and Chat waved shyly at him, while Ladybug greeted him quickly, getting straight to business. If Chat hadn’t known Ladybug as well as he did, he would’ve thought she was completely confident in her proposal.

“Master Fu, the akumas are way too dangerous now. Hawk Moth has noticed that the other heroes are on standby and he’s directing his akumas to hinder us while we’re trying to retrieve the miraculouses and hand them out each time and —”

Master Fu held up a hand.

“They’ve been trying to follow you”

“WHAT?” Chat Noir and Ladybug cried in unison, sharing a terrified look.

“You’ve been good so far, you’re more than adept at throwing them off, but I’ve noticed akumas leading your fights up to the vicinity of this apartment. I personally would prefer to err on the side of caution with distributing miraculouses, but this time it looks like we might have no choice. The rest of the holders _ must _ not know of my existence or where to find me, though, I insist.” 

Ladybug simply stared. She couldn’t quite comprehend how easily Master Fu had agreed. she’d expected more opposition, a longer debate, and was almost disappointed that the arguments she and Chat Noir had prepared were rendered unnecessary.

Chat, on the other hand, grinned. A traitorous part of his mind whispered that a larger team might mean he’d be even more redundant, that he and Ladybug would never be the same, he’d be forgotten, but he was nothing if not good at suppressing his anxieties or at least making sure they didn’t show. 

“Well then,” said Master Fu, “It’s a school night for both of you, is it not? You’d better hand the miraculouses over to their chosens and head home.” 

Ladybug nodded solemnly at Master Fu as he crossed the room to open his gramophone. When his back was turned, she whispered to Chat Noir, “I think it’s time you paid Rena Rouge and Carapace a visit with me. I have a feeling you might like them.” 

* * *

The next day, the heroes gathered at the Eiffel tower at sunset. Rena was practically vibrating with anticipation, Carapace had his best poker face on while he tried not to stare down at the ground far below, and Queen Bee looked like she still couldn’t quite believe that she was there.

“Welcome to the squad!” Chat Noir said, elbowing Ladybug till she joined in.

“We’re gonna need to work out patrols for each of you, so just text either of us your weekly schedules, okay? You should be able to slide your weapons open to find a smartphone interface, and our contacts are in the call app.” Ladybug pulled up her yo-yo phone to show them what she meant.

“We were thinking, to get us started and to get you properly used to patrolling the roofs, we’d play some hide and seek. Now, my Lady and I know you’re no match for us —” 

_ “Hey!” _interjected, oddly enough, Queen Bee, while Ladybug tried valiantly to keep her smirk under control,

“— so we’re gonna give you a head start of two minutes. Ready, set, hide!”

As the other three heroes scampered off, their mild protests at the abruptness of the game fading out of earshot, Chat Noir turned to Ladybug and offered her a hand.

“I think we’re gonna be just fine, my lady”  
“Well, _ chaton, _with you and me against the world, how could we ever not be?”


End file.
